China's external financial assets near $6t

BEIJING - China's external financial assets amounted to $5.94 trillion at the end of 2013, data from the country's forex regulator showed on Friday. The figure was up from $5.21 trillion in 2012, the State Administration of Foreign Exchange said, while stressing that China will strive to make the balance of international payments at an equilibrium level and prevent the risk of across-border capital flows. The country's external liability rose to $3.97 trillion, while the net external financial assets $1.97 trillion. In breakdown, China's foreign exchange reserves stood at 3.88 trillion, accounting for 65 percent of the total assets. The outbound direct investment (ODI) took up 10 percent, the securities investment 4 percent and other investment 20 percent. As for liabilities, foreign direct investment (FDI) in China rose to $2.35 trillion, making up 59 percent of total assets. The investment in securities and other aspects took up 10 percent and 31 percent, respectively. SAFE also unveiled China's current account surplus reached $182.8 billion in 2013, down 15 percent from the previous year; the the surplus in capital and financial account went to $326.2 billion, contrasted with a 31.8 billion deficit in 2012. China's current account balance improved in the last year, as its surplus to GDP fell 0.6 percentage point year on year to 2 percent, a reasonable level resulting from the growth mode, restructuring and adjustment of economic external policy. The balance of international payments and exchange rate of the yuan are approaching an equilibrium, SAFE said. In 2013, China's international reserve assets increased by $431.4 billion, while the reserve assets in foreign exchange rose by $432.7 billion, $334 billion more from the increase in 2012.